Symptoms typically appear in 4-14 days following exposure to the virus. The latest incubation period is 7 – 40 days.

Symptoms may initially include one or several of the following:

• Fever
• Headache
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting

Severe symptoms may follow, such as:

• Disorientation, drowsiness, or confusion
• Seizures
• Coma
• Brain swelling (encephalitis).

In the first known NiV outbreak, people were probably infected through close contact with infected pigs. Transmission is thought to have occurred via unprotected exposure to secretions from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a sick animal.

Animal-Human Transmission
Nipah virus (NiV) can spread to people from contact with infected animals, such as bats or pigs, or their body fluids (such as blood, urine or saliva).

Food-Human Transmission
Consuming food products that have been contaminated by body fluids of infected animals (such as palm sap or fruit contaminated by an infected bat).

Human-Human Transmission
Close contact with a person infected with NiV or their body fluids (including nasal or respiratory droplets, urine, or blood).

Currently there are no licensed treatments available for Nipah virus (NiV) infection. Treatment is limited to supportive care, including:

• Rest
• Hydration and
• Treatment of symptoms as they occur.

Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications. Consult your Doctor for prescription of medication.

Initial signs and symptoms of Nipah virus infection are nonspecific, and the diagnosis is often not suspected at the time of presentation. The main tests used are real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the following bodily fluids to diagnose the condition:

• Nasal or throat swabs
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• Urine samples
• Blood samples.

Nipah virus (NiV) infection can be diagnosed during illness or after recovery.

In areas where Nipah virus (NiV) outbreaks have occurred (Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, and Singapore), people should:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Avoid contact with sick pigs or bats
• Clean and disinfect pig farms
• Avoid trees or bushes where bats are known to rest or sleep
• Avoid eating or drinking products that could be contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap, raw fruit, or fruit that is found on the ground
• Avoid contact with the saliva, blood or other bodily fluids of any person known to be infected with NiV